Find out how popular the last name Offerman is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Offerman.

Offerman, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Offerman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Offerman in America

Offerman is the 29473rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Offerman surname appeared 801 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Offerman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Offerman to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Offerman

The surname Offerman is of Germanic origin, specifically Dutch. It is believed to have originated in the Netherlands during the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from the Dutch words "off" meaning "high" or "elevated" and "erman" meaning "man" or "person." Together, the name can be interpreted as "man from the higher ground" or "man from the elevated area."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Offerman can be found in the Dutch province of Friesland, where the Offerman family is thought to have originated. The name appears in historical records dating back to the late 16th century, with references to individuals such as Jan Offerman (born circa 1570) and Pieter Offerman (born circa 1592), both from the city of Leeuwarden.

The name Offerman is also found in other parts of the Netherlands, including the provinces of Noord-Holland and Zuid-Holland. In the 17th century, the name is mentioned in various civic records and church registers from cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam. One notable individual from this period is Dirck Offerman (1612-1678), a Dutch painter and engraver known for his landscapes and biblical scenes.

As the Dutch expanded their influence through trade and colonization in the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname Offerman spread to other parts of the world. In the early 19th century, the name is recorded in South Africa, where Dutch settlers established colonies. One prominent figure from this time is Jan Offerman (1793-1864), a South African farmer and pioneer who played a significant role in the development of the Cape Colony.

Another notable individual with the surname Offerman is the American actor and writer Nick Offerman (born 1970). Known for his role as Ron Swanson in the television series "Parks and Recreation," Offerman has become a celebrated figure in contemporary popular culture.

Other historical figures who bore the surname Offerman include Heinrich Offerman (1876-1950), a German politician and member of the Reichstag during the Weimar Republic, and William Offerman (1853-1923), an American businessman and politician who served as the 21st Mayor of St. Louis, Missouri.

While the surname Offerman may have evolved slightly in spelling or pronunciation over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the Netherlands, where it emerged as a locational surname reflecting the elevated or higher ground where the family resided.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Offerman

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Offerman.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Offerman was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Offerman has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Offerman was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Offerman, please contact us.

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